Thanksgiving gone wrong!

Thanksgiving, ahhh…you are probably thinking this is another post about being thankful. Well, it is, but for the wrong reasons!

Thanksgiving 2019 was one of my most regretful memories of all time. That’s saying a lot even without going into detail. Pre-COVID, who knew the year ahead would be so different.

I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). I either do things 1000% or not at all, being afraid of failure. I was excited to be hosting Thanksgiving for my blended family! Cooking the meal, setting the perfect table, etc.

What happened however was completely different. My adult ‘bonus’ daughter was very eager to assist me in preparing the meal. Thankful, I should have been, but I was becoming frustrated with the assistance she wanted to provide. You see, even before her arrival I was frustrated. I didn’t have matching tableware for 11 people, my cheesecake developed a San Andreas sized fault line down the middle, and on top of that I didn’t have a square plate to put the malformed square cheesecake on. My intentions for making homemade stuffing turned into a boxed product instead. The chairs were all a mishmash of styles! Definitely not a Better Homes & Gardens moment. Ugh…frustration. By the time my daughter arrived I already felt like a failure.

Needing a place to put her purse down, she put it on the counter. Not a problem normally, but I was already feeling horrible and had an outburst about ‘cluttering’ the counter top! Being excited to help she started ‘taking over ‘ as I saw it. Completely irrational I know…, but I perceived it as such.

What memories do I have of that ‘special’ day of thanks? Well, you can clearly see my memories were quite negative!

The Bible talks about a similar event, Luke 10:38-42. As Jesus was traveling through the countryside he came upon a village where two sisters resided. Mary and Martha asked Jesus to dinner at their home. As it so happened Martha loved entertaining! Jesus agreed to come as a guest to their home. While Martha busily prepared the meal, tidied up the home, and made sure everything was perfect….her sister Mary sat with Jesus and listened to him. Conversing and enjoying his presence. Martha became frustrated at her sister’s lack of helpfulness and commented to Jesus about this. Jesus responded to Martha’s concerns by stating “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Call ‘me’ Martha! I was worried about non-essentials and missed the important things! Family, food, love, a home…all the things I should have been thankful for but instead filled that day with frustration, anger and disappointment. I have photos to prove it! Who knew Thanksgiving 2020 would be such a different day in light of COVID.

I am positive that all who gathered last Thanksgiving don’t remember all the failings I felt. The cheesecake despite the crack, was delicious. The silverware? Nobody had to eat with their hands. The chairs? Everybody had a place to sit. The tableware? Everyone had something to place their food on even if it wasn’t all alike.

This Thanksgiving 2020, let’s all be ‘Mary’ and truly give thanks for the things that matter! Love, family, and all the blessings we have in this moment! You never know what will happen in the next few minutes, hours, days, weeks and yes, even years! Stay safe and healthy! May you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! 💕